Flock Safety surveillance cameras have obtained a business license to expand the installation and maintenance of surveillance cameras across North Carolina. This development follows a prolonged conflict with state regulators.
Flock Safety Surveillance Cameras Grow in Number
Flock Safety’s compact cameras automatically capture vehicle plate numbers and other details, such as the make and color. They store the data for weeks in a database accessible to law enforcement. Flock has rapidly expanded in North Carolina, revealing the widespread sharing of captured information. This includes instances of police misuse and errors in utilizing this surveillance technology.
Flock Safety surveillance cameras are used by law enforcement agencies in Raleigh, Greensboro, and about 100 other North Carolina jurisdictions. Some universities, including the University of North Carolina campuses in Chapel Hill and Charlotte, also use them.
The company serves more than 400 customers throughout the state, although a representative declined to specify the number of cameras in operation or non-law enforcement customers, such as homeowners associations.
North Carolina Licensing Battle
In North Carolina, companies installing alarm and camera systems to detect illegal activities must obtain a license from the state’s Alarms Systems Licensing Board. According to Paul Sherwin, a director at the state’s Department of Public Safety, this measure is to prevent unauthorized access to security information.
However, in January 2022, when Flock Safety began soliciting contracts in North Carolina without the necessary license, the licensing board launched an investigation. Flock officials contended that their systems did not meet the state’s definition of an alarm system. North Carolina remains the only state among the 40 where Flock operates to require such a license.
In October 2023, Wake County Judge Vincent Rozier ordered Flock Safety to cease camera installations unless conducted through a licensed third-party company. The company continued to expand using this method and secured a deal with UNC-Chapel Hill’s police department in February.
In March, Flock Safety agreed to submit a license application to North Carolina’s Alarm Systems Licensing Board by June 1. Failure to comply risks ceasing operations in the state. The new license from the state Department of Public Safety is valid until July 31, 2026.
Flock Safety Pilot Program
Flock Safety’s presence in North Carolina is expected to grow further. In June, Governor Roy Cooper signed a law extending a pilot program launched on January 1, 2024, allowing the State Bureau of Investigation to install cameras on Department of Transportation property until July 1, 2026. This enables the installation of Flock Safety or competing cameras on state roadways for local, state, or federal law enforcement use. Previously, a legal interpretation during Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s tenure prohibited such devices on Department of Transportation rights of way.
In a press release announcing the new license, Flock Safety highlighted successful collaborations with local and state authorities. For instance, their system aided UNC-Charlotte in identifying individuals responsible for catalytic converter thefts. It also helped Garner police apprehend three suspects in June linked to a hit-and-run incident involving a toddler.
Some police agencies in and beyond North Carolina commend automated license plate recognition technology for recovering stolen vehicles, disrupting theft networks, apprehending criminal suspects, and locating missing persons. However, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have raised privacy concerns about the system’s data collection on millions of vehicles. Only a tiny percentage of these are linked to criminal activity.
